Spreader device for selector devices



Nov. 6, 1951 E. A. GUBISCH- SPREADER DEVICE FOR SELECTOR DEVICES Filed Sept. 13, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Nov. 6, 1951 E. A. GUBISCH SPREADER DEVICE FOR SELECTOR DEVICES 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Sept. 15, 1949 INVENTQR RWIN A. GUBISCH ATTORNEY patented Nov. 6, 1951 UNITED STATES ENT OFFICE 2,574,102 SPREADER DisvIcEFoR ssttcren DEVICES Erwin A. Gubisch, Chicago, 111., assignor m Teletype Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application September 13, 1949 SerialNo; 115,410 3 Claims; (01. 178-17) This invention relates to signaling apparatus, and more particularly to improvements in selector devicestherefor;

The primary object of the invention is to provide aselecto'r mechanism having improved means for facilitating selective operations therein.

Another object of the invention to provide a spreacler device for holding the selectable members of a selector mechanism in their unoperated position during the setting operation of the permutation bars.

A- further object of the inventionis to provide a spreader device whichis'oper'ated on the parallel metion principle;

More'specificallm the device according to the present" invention is applicable toa translator unit operated under the control of aperforated tape.- The tape; after being prepared on a tape perforator in response to code signals received over a signal line, is inserted in the 'tap'e'sensing or record reading portion of a translator unit or'convertercomprising a plurality of tape feeler or tape sensing-members, each one ofwhich corresponds to aposition in the tape that may or may not be provided with a-perforation, depending-upon the particular code combination that is being read. Upon each" momentary arrest of the tape the several tape feelers sense the code combination perforated in the particular positions,. and upon the next movement, the combination is transferred to an intermediate set of storage: devices following which a set of code bars are also positioned in accordance with such code combination. The code bars are provided with notches on both top and bottom edges thereof and in this manner theyaccommodate a double alignment of selectable elements. The selectable elements are oppositely disposed with respect to each other in scissors-like fashion, thus constituting two rows which-are movable toward each other when urged into selected position by their respective springs. The oppositely disposed selectable elements are normally held apart by the spreader device according to the present invention. For each permutation of the code bars one of these selectable elements is placed, under the control of the spreader device, into selected position and when any particular one is thus selected it acts to close an electrical contact associated therewith.

A more comprehensive understanding of the present invention may be had from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top view of the'translating unit embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 of Fi Fig. 3' is a side view, partly in section, of the translating unit shown in Fig. l, and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4:-.-'-4 of Fig. 3.

The translating unit I I embodying the present invention isshown on Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings; The tape or record reader is indicated by the numeric l2 and is suitably mounted onthe translating u-nit ll. The translating unit H is utilized in a system disclosed in copending application Serial. No. 52,520 filed October 2-, 1948, by R. Halvorsen. The tape reader l2, as will appear hereinafter, controls the selective closure of theoperating contacts. 13.

Mounted on the base I4 is a motor I5 having an armature shaft [6 on which is fixed a pinion ll meshed with a gear l8 fixed to a cross shaft IS. A gear 20 is fixedly carried on the cross shaft I9 and meshes with a gear 22 fixed to ashaft 23 disposed above and at'right angles thereto. Operatively connected to the shaft l9 through the i-nstrumentality of a clutch 24 is a cam sleeve 25 of the distributor l0. Also operatively connected to-the shaft ['9 through a'clutch- 26' is a cam sleeve 21 which carries a set of timing cams28, a spreader cam-29, a reset cam 3|, a tape feed cam 32, a sixth pin or tape-out cam 33, and a reset cam 34.

Positioned in the base of the unit 14 are a plurality ofcode bars 35 (five in the present instance), which are notched along their upper and lower edges to cooperate with a plurality of selectable members 36 disposed on each side of thepode bars 35 and pivotedon a common pivot-37. The members 36 are biased towardeach other by spring 38 common to each pair. Members 36"bear against blades 39 and 4| of a spreader device, according" to the present invention. The spreader device comprises a bar 42 slidably carried on a pair of pins 43. The slides 39 and 4| are connected to the bar 42 in parallel motion manner by means of linkage, elements'or links 44'. Fixed to. bar 42' is an element 45, the upper edge of which is bifurcated to'receive the end of the depending arm of a lever 43 adapted to'bef operated by the spreader cam 29.

Links 44 are pivotally articulated through pivots 41 to spreader bars 39 and 4|. They are also pivotally articulated through pivots 48 to bar 42. When the follower roller of lever 43 drops off from the higher part to the lower part of cam 29, bar 42 is moved rightwardly (as viewed in Fig. 4), due to the pressure imparted by springs 38, through levers 36 on the bars 39 and 4|, to

break the toggle effect of links 44, the bars 39 and 4| acting against the end thrust rollers 49. On the other hand, when the lever 46 is actuated clockwise by cam 29, the bar 42 is moved leftwardly and, through links 44, the bars 39 and 4| are spread apart in parallel motion manner, the bars 39 and 4| bearing against the end thrust rollers 49. Great mechanical advantage is obtained in spreading the upper and lower bars 36 apart because of the toggle action imparted by the toggle elements or links 44.

The extremities of members 36 cooperate with individual contacts |3 for the purpose described in said copending application. As shown in Fig. 2, the code bars 35 are articulated to individual bell cranks 5| which cooperate with associated tape sensing levers 52. A bail member 53 functions to operate the sensing levers 52 under the control of the cam 34. Code bars 35 are also notched to cooperate with a reset bail 54 controlled by the reset cam 3|.

Upon the energization of magnet 55, thearmature 56 thereof is operated to release the clutch 24 to effect the rotation of sleeve 25to operate the transmitting contacts sequentially. At a predetermined time during the cycle of rotation, a cam 51 on sleeve 25 will operate a clutch trip bail 58 to render the clutch 26 effective to rotate the sleeve 21. The cam 34 thereon functions to operate bail 53 to permit simultaneous counterclockwise actuation of tape feeler or sensing levers 52 (as viewed in Fig. 2) for sensing code perforations or indicia in the tape. The code bars 35, normally held in their leftward position, are, in timed relation to the tape sensing operation, released by the reset bail 54 for rightward movement by their individual springs (not shown), under the control of the reset cam 3|. Only those code bars 35 will move rightwardly whose bell cranks 5| are not blocked by the ends 59 of feeler levers 52.

In timed relation to the setting of the code bars 35, the cam 29 will operate bail 46 to retract the blades 39 and 4| of the spreader device, thereby permitting springs 38 to draw the members 36 toward the code bars 35. In accordance with well known principles of permutation code selection; one of the members 36 will find an alignment of notches and will therefore be drawn further than the remaining members 36 to eifect the closure of its associated contact |3. The closing of contacts I3 selectively in this manner is analogous to such closure by the keys of a keyboard device. It is seen that in accordance with the present invention the contacts |3 are operatedflautomatically under the control of a perforated tape, and that the selective operation of a contact I3 is achieved under the control of the spreader device comprising spreader bars 33 and 4|.

It is understood that various changes may be made in the details set forth in the foregoing description without departing from the essentials of the invention or from the spirit or the scope of equivalency thereof, as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination in a selector mechanism, a set'of permutative selector bars, signal controlled means for variously positioning said bars to eifect the individual selection of said bars, a plurality of selectable elements mounted on a common pivot, said elements disposed in two rows, one adjacent to each edge of said selector bars, a pair of spreader bars interposed between said rows, reciprocating means associated with said spreader bars, and toggle elements connected to said reciprocating means and said pair of spreader bars, whereby movement in parallel motion manner is imparted to said spreader bars by the toggle action of said elements to effectuate the actuation of said selectable elements toward and away from said permutative selector bars.

2. In combination in a selector mechanism, a set of permutative selector bars, signal controlled means for variously positioning said bars to effect the individual selection of said bars, a plurality of selectable elements mounted on a common pivot, said elements disposed in two rows, one adjacent to each edge of said selector bars, a pair of spreader bars interposed between said rows, slidable means adjacent to said spreader bars, cam operated means for reciprocating said slidable means, and toggle elements connected to said slidable means and said pair of spreader bars, whereby movement in parallel motion manner is imparted to said spreader bars by the toggle action of said toggle elements to effectuate the actuation of said selectable elements toward and away from said permutation selector bars.

3. In combination in a selector mechanism, a plurality of selectable elements arranged in two rows, a set of permutative selector bars between said rows, signal controlled means for variously positioning said bars to eflect the individual selection of said elements, means for attrahently biasing said selectable elements, a pair of spreader bars interposed between said rows, and parallel motion means for governing said spreader bars comprising a slidable means adjacent to said spreader bars, and toggle elements connected to said slidable means and said pair of spreader bars, whereby movement is imparted to said spreader bars by the toggle action of said toggle elements to efiectuate the actuation of said selectable elements toward and away from said permutation selector bars.

ERWIN A. GUBISCH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,974,307 Griflith Sept. 18, 1934 2,183,022 Krum et a1 Dec. 12, 1939 2,309,222 Spencer Jan. 26, 1943 2,382,558 Goetz Aug. 14, 1945 

